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Reflexivity, Internal Conversation and Societal Influences on Higher Education Students’ Consideration of Values and Priorities During Their Citizenship Studies

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Reflexivity, Internal Conversation and Societal Influences on Higher Education Students’ Consideration of Values and Priorities During Their Citizenship Studies Reflexivity, Internal Conversation and Societal Influences on Higher Education Students’ Consideration of Values and Priorities during their Citizenship Studies Linda Marie Rowan A thesis submitted to Victoria University of Wellington in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Victoria University of Wellington 2020 Abstract My thesis examines the reflexive processing of knowledge, beliefs, values and personal priorities in the internal and external conversations of students during a period of university study. In higher education, learners encounter the values and views of knowledge prioritised by political, institutional, departmental and academic discourses; beliefs, values and dispositions which may differ from their own. Currently there is little understanding of how university students examine and act on new understandings of knowledge in light of their existing reference points and priorities. I use structure-agency and reflexivity theory as lenses to understand individuals’ agentic responses to the personal, social and structural enablements and constraints encountered in their university studies and daily lives. Using reflexivity methods drawn from Margaret Archer’s work, I investigated students’ responses to citizenship concepts presented in three compulsory courses at one Aotearoa/New Zealand university. My research involved a unique application of framework analysis methods to draw themes from the 31 participants’ stories while retaining the integrity of each narrative. In a new application of Archer’s work, I found that some participants demonstrated controlled reflexivity in containing their reflexive thought processes in response to situational changes such as family trauma or mental health. Controlled reflexivity ensured the actor balanced their concerns against their projects and goals to manage and contain both their internal and external deliberations. This research challenges Archer’s idea that the disruptions of late modernity removed people from their natal contexts, increasing their need for higher levels of reflexivity. While reflexivity shifts when students’ values and concerns are challenged, I found that technological developments have allowed individuals to retain more and deeper connections with their natal context than in Archer’s work. Furthermore, I argue that Archer’s claim of a reflexive progression in dominant modes due to increased education is too simplistic and fails to acknowledge that students’ reflexive practices are highly contextual (such as living in a bicultural country like Aotearoa/New Zealand) and strongly influenced by personal circumstances. Internal conversations for my research participants were complemented with external conversations to build reflexivity. Single, dual or multi modes of reflexivity were revealed in study-work life as students’ personal priorities shifted. The specificity of reflexive i processing means reflexivity typologies need to be robust to be applied across cultures and contexts. This work is a reminder to policy developers, universities, teachers and employers that the “invisible” personal characteristics and attributes that society seeks to see in new graduates are neither easy to assess nor to confirm using typologies. Academics need to remain open to understanding the multiple intersections of the study world with individuals’ wider social worlds and circumstances. Keywords: Higher education students, reflexivity, structure-agency, internal conversation, Archer’s mental activities, diverse students, citizenship ii Acknowledgments I am grateful for and appreciative of the support I have had over the extended period of study required to complete my PhD degree. I have relished both the intellectual stimulation and the social connections I have made through this research. In particular, I want to acknowledge the commitment and willingness of my participants to step into the world of this research – with a complete stranger. Their wisdom and generosity continues to amaze me. I admire their dedication and determination to complete their studies despite complex lives and the curveballs that came their way. The bounty of their lives and thoughts provides the layers of richness in this research. My supervisors – Dr Kathryn Sutherland, Centre for Academic Development, and Dr Stephanie Doyle, School of Education, of Victoria University of Wellington – are the greatest! They have challenged my thinking, passed on their given insights, kept me on the hop, and provided the right level of encouragement, advice, and support that I needed over the past five years. I know I sometimes left them baffled, but the breadth and depth of their knowledge and experience has been an invaluable resource. Thank you. Thank you, Linda P. and Philippa B. for your eagle eyes and support. My own priorities and values remain family and people centred. My family – Daryl, Stefan and Dani (and Luna), and Errin – have been my amazing, quiet, and steadfast support team. Their humour, encouragement and belief that I could finish this marathon kept me going and smoothed the journey. I do not expect them to read the whole thesis, but they know I owe them heaps – for those moments that have been put on hold which would usually create our family memories. They will not let me forget that. Now, it is time for us to catch up and create more moments. iii iv Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................... iii Figures ........................................................................................................................ xi Tables .......................................................................................................................... xi Glossary of terms ........................................................................................................ xiii Chapter 1. Introduction, context and brief literature review ...................................... 1 1.0 This study ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Research questions ............................................................................................. 5 1.2 Background to this research ................................................................................ 6 1.2.1 The broad context ......................................................................................... 6 1.2.2 A narrower focus ........................................................................................... 9 1.3 Reflexivity: A twenty-first century skill ................................................................ 10 1.4 Outline of the thesis ........................................................................................... 12 1.5 Chapter summary .............................................................................................. 13 Chapter 2. Theoretical Framework ........................................................................ 15 2.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 15 2.1 A dynamic world ................................................................................................ 15 2.2 Critical realism, structures, agents, agency and reflexivity ................................. 20 2.2.1 Archer and critical realism ........................................................................... 20 2.2.2 Structures ................................................................................................... 25 2.2.3 Agents ........................................................................................................ 27 2.2.4 Agency ........................................................................................................ 29 2.2.5 Reflexivity ................................................................................................... 31 2.2.6 Modes of reflexivity ..................................................................................... 32 2.3 Internal conversation and determining internal conversation ............................. 37 v 2.3.1 Determining internal conversation ............................................................... 39 2.4 Values, concerns and projects ........................................................................... 42 2.4.1 Values and concerns ................................................................................... 42 2.5 Criticism of Archer’s reflexivity approach ........................................................... 47 2.5.1 Archer’s reflexivity - criticisms and responses ............................................. 47 2.5.2 Empirical studies using Archer’s reflexivity approach .................................. 51 2.5.3 Adaptations to Archer’s reflexivity and internal conversation ....................... 53 2.5.4 External conversation .................................................................................. 56 2.5.5 Reflexive writing .......................................................................................... 57 2.5.6 Emotions in reflexivity ................................................................................. 58 2.5.7 Higher education and reflexivity .................................................................. 59 2.6
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